System Verification is the final step of testing prior to general use of the instrument by
the Gemini community. It is intended to be "end-to-end" testing, verifying the readiness of the entire system from observation preparation to data reduction (using the Gemini GSAOI IRAF data reduction package). It is also intended to exercise the instrument with a variety of observing programs and demonstrate to the community, through interesting and challenging science programs, the unique capabilities of GeMS and GSAOI on Gemini South.

SV proposals will be evaluated by the Gemini GeMS/GSAOI Science Team with input from the Gemini
Science and Technology Advisory Committee. Recommended programs will be forwarded to the Gemini
Director for approval. The SV team will assist PIs in completing Phase II. Selection of SV programs will be done to ensure a wide range of types of target and observation. The different types of targets and approximate allocation times are given below. The allocated hours are notional only and will vary based on the programs selected. The proposed target observations must use the filters that are currently installed on GSAOI.

Type of target and approximate allocation times

Type of target

Allocated time

Bright point Sources

< 5 hours

Crowded fields

10 hours

Extended sources (i.e. targets that mostly fill the GSAOI field of view)

15 hours

Faint sources (stars or extended sources)

25 hours

Non-sidereal(1)

< 5 hours

(1) Observations of non-sidereal targets have not been fully tested. The commissioning team has
successfully guided on Saturn's moons, but guiding on background stars has not been tested
yet. Because of this and the need for multiple guide stars for GeMS, targets that move at a
non-sidereal rate pose a special challenge. It is anticipated that very few non-sidereal targets
will be selected.

SV teams will be responsible for providing written, in-depth assessments of SV observations within
two months of data acquisition. The data obtained during SV will be made available to the
international Gemini community after a two-month proprietary period, and the assessments of the SV
teams will be published on the Gemini web pages. Community participation will help to ensure that
GeMS and GSAOI are a success when the system is in regular use.

GSAOI is a near-infrared adaptive optics camera used in conjunction with the GeMS. GeMS/GSAOI provides near diffraction limited images in the 0.9 - 2.4 µm wavelength range. The GSAOI imager detector is formed by 2 x 2 mosaic Rockwell HAWAII-2RG 2048 x 2048 arrays. Located at the f/32 GeMS output focus, GSAOI records images in a 85" x 85" field-of-view with an imaging scale of 0.02"/pixel and a gap between the arrays of ~ 3". See the GeMS and GSAOI web page for more detailed
information. The GSAOI Integration Time Calculator is available to estimate the required exposure times.

CONSTRAINTS

1. Target visibility: We expect to observe SV programs between December 1, 2012 and January 31,
2013. Therefore the targets should have RAs between 01 hour and 12 hours and Declinations
between +10 degrees and -70 degrees (elevation > 45 degrees).

3. Observing conditions constraints: The following constraints are allowed:

Image Quality(2): 20%-ile, 70%-ile or 85%-ile.

Sky Transparency (cloud cover): photometric (50%-ile).

Sky Background: Any.

Sky Transparency (Water vapor content): Any.

(2) Reasonable corrections are possible under poorer image quality conditions (up to 1" natural
seeing or IQ=85%-ile). Proposers that do not require diffraction-limited images are encouraged to submit
targets for these conditions. Details about the image quality and Strehl ratios that could be achieved with GeMS for different seeing conditions can be found in the Performance and limiting magnitude web page.

GUIDELINES

To submit a program, use the 2013A Phase I tool and include observing constraints,
target lists, and GSAOI filter configuration information. Be sure to select "Other Proposal Types" and "System Verification" in the Proposal Class and the Proposal Type fields respectively, inside
the Scheduling and Time Request section of the Phase I Tool.

The Phase I tool provides a percentage for the likelihood of finding a suitable guide stars for GeMS/GSAOI (i.e. the percentage indicates whether a guide star is available or not). The Phase I tool does not provide information about the spatial distribution of the guide stars ("asterisms") or information about the Strehl ratio (required as an input parameter in the GSAOI ITC). Therefore, PIs must use the Gemini Observing Tool (OT) to verify the feasibility of CANOPUS WFS and GSAOI ODGW guide stars. Detailed information about how to setup the guide stars in the OT can be found in the GSAOI OT Details web page. The overheads associated with a GeMS/GSAOI science observation can be estimated using the information given in the Overheads web page.

PHASE I ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Include a picture of the OT position editor with target field, the CANOPUS/GSAOI FOV and the selected CWFS and ODGW stars in the Technical Justification of the proposal.

Include the magnitudes of the CWFS guide stars in R and the magnitude of the ODGW in H in the
Technical Justification of the proposal.

Scientific justification must be less than 1000 words. The technical justification should be
sufficiently complete within its 1000 word limit that program feasibility can be assessed easily.
A statement of data reduction plans must also be included in the technical justification. Proposers
may use other data reduction tools in addition to the GSAOI package. Selection for SV is based in
part on the ability of the proposers to reduce the data and return feedback within a reasonable
time.

By submitting an SV program the proposers agree to the following:

There is no guarantee that the program will be observed.

The proprietary period for SV data is two months.

The PI will provide reduced data to Gemini for public release within two months of the completion SV program.

The GeMS/GSAOI astronomers will assist PIs of the successfully accepted programs to complete the Phase II.